Your volunteers might have a “job” or a “role” at youth group but have you given them relational goals? The reality is that you cannot reach every student on your own. You do not have enough time and honestly, you are not able to relate perfectly with every student – you need your volunteers! But how can you keep volunteers enthusiastic and motivated to love on kids while still having them do their role of leading worship, running powerpoint/mediashout/propresentor/etc. or signing kids in at the door?
Give your volunteers some realistic relational goals.
These goals will help your volunteer feel valued – they will not feel like they are just a participant but rather that they have a purpose and are moving forward. As a volunteer myself, I have found that when I am asked to do more than just chaperone an event I am much more invested.
Here are a few goals that you could ask of your volunteers:
1) Meet 3 students you have never talked to before and memorize their names
2) Find out something new about a student you do not know very well
3) Invite and set a date/time to take a few students out to coffee or ice cream this week
Follow up is important too. If you challenge your youth leaders to meet 3 new students, ask them how it went – they will see that you value it too! Give an opportunity for your youth leaders to share and debrief how their relationship’s with their students are moving.
Let us know what goals you have given your volunteers that have been successful.
–Hannah